


Severance Package

by Sunnyskywalker



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Guilt, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, damage control, strategic information leaks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29076510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunnyskywalker/pseuds/Sunnyskywalker
Summary: The morning after Remus's uncontrolled transformation gives Peter the opportunity to escape custody, the headmaster sits him down for a little chat about exactly how many ways Remus messed up. There may be a way to salvage the situation--but alas, it will be rather hard on Remus...
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore & Remus Lupin
Comments: 9
Kudos: 9





	Severance Package

**Author's Note:**

> You saw the "manipulative Albus Dumbledore" tag, right? This is the guy who once had a "little chat" with his centuries-older research partner which _somehow_ ended with that partner and his wife agreeing that it would all be for the best if they died. Or so Albus tells us. You think his exit interview for Remus was nicer? And remember, he gave Remus the DADA position while knowing all along that the job was cursed...

He’d nearly killed the children, Remus realized as he pushed himself upright enough to lean against a tree, pain stabbing every joint. He’d nearly killed Harry. How could he have let this happen?

“There yeh are!” a friendly voice said just before an enormous hand hauled him fully upright. Remus found himself bundled into a cloak before he’d even adjusted to standing on two feet again. “I was startin’ ter get worried.”

“Hagrid,” Remus rasped. “It’s good to see you.”

“Dumbledore said I should get yeh home. Feelin’ all right?” Hagrid peered at him with a frown.

“I didn’t eat anyone, so it could have been worse.” Remus attempted a smile.

Hagrid managed a genuine one. “Well, that’s all right, then.” He scooped Remus up and carried him in one arm. “Hope yeh don’ mind, but yeh look a bit peaky. Oh, and yeh won’t have heard the good news. Buckbeak’s escaped!”

“Thank goodness.” At least something had gone right.

Fortunately, Hagrid’s cabin was close. Unfortunately, Dumbledore was waiting for them.

Remus shuddered. How was he going to explain this?

“Ah, Hagrid,” came the familiar voice. “I see you’ve found him. You have my gratitude.”

Hagrid beamed. “No trouble!”

“If you wouldn’t mind giving us a few moments?”

Hagrid cheerfully trundled off with Fang, leaving the two of them alone.

Dumbledore’s smile vanished the instant Hagrid closed the door. “Please, take a seat. I believe we have a few things to discuss.” His tone was as mild as ever, but his gaze was cold behind his half-moon spectacles.

Remus gulped.

“Why don’t we start with the tunnels you helped map during your schooldays?”

“The… the tunnels?” His mind whirled. But nothing had happ—oh. Oh, damn. Just because Sirius didn't kill anyone after sneaking into the castle through one of those secret tunnels didn't mean this didn't look really, really bad for Remus.

“It seems to me that mentioning these would have risked nothing but the revelation that you and your friends occasionally sneaked into the village for sweets and butterbeer,” Dumbledore continued. “Unless you traversed them while transformed?”

Remus's flesh turned ice-cold. If the headmaster really thought that—“No! I would never—” His voiced cracked. “I never did that.”

“I’m exceedingly glad to hear it. I am less delighted that it didn’t occur to you to share that most interesting map. I could have had the staff watch continuously in turns, or perhaps set the house-elves to do so. I do hope you weren’t placing a chance for personal vengeance over the welfare of Harry and the rest of the school.”

The headmaster's stare was so intense that Remus would swear he felt it driving right into his mind.

“N-n-no, sir.” He hadn’t. He didn’t think he had, anyway. Of course he’d thought about what he would say and do to Sirius if he caught him, but he hadn’t really _planned_ anything. He’d thought… Remus couldn’t quite remember his reasoning or what he’d expected, actually—it must be the shock jumbling his memories—but surely he wouldn’t have done that.

“You kept a dismaying number of secrets from me, Remus. Would it have been possible to mention that at least one of your friends had mastered the Animagus transformation without too much trouble to yourself, do you think? Any time over the past year would have been enormously helpful. Or, indeed, over the past twelve years.”

“I… I didn’t think…”

“That you could explain without admitting to your own misdeeds? Yes, I’m afraid Severus has relayed your confession. I am sure you can imagine his commentary.”

Remus looked at his hands, face hot with shame. After all Dumbledore had done for him. The trust he’d shown him.

“You’ve put me in a difficult position, Remus,” Dumbledore continued when Remus failed to speak. “Cornelius is beside himself imagining the public backlash.”

“…public?” Remus managed.

Dumbledore peered down over his spectacles at Remus. “Even my considerable influence will not be enough to hush this up. A number of Ministry employees were on the grounds last night to corral the rogue dementors. They had to be informed of the danger you posed, as well as your identity in order to convince them not to harm you unduly. And as you might recall, a number of dormitory windows overlook the Whomping Willow. We have not yet confirmed that any students saw you transform, but we must proceed on the assumption that at least one did.”

The headmaster let him sit with that thought for a long moment. Remus wanted to crawl back into the Forbidden Forest and never come out. For a few months, he’d had everything—a salary, a home, respect—and he’d ruined it. Why couldn’t he have just pulled himself together?

“All that remains now,” Dumbledore said at last, “is to decide how to proceed. I believe I have persuaded Cornelius not to charge you with any crimes, but that leaves several matters unresolved.”

“I’ll tender my resignation immediately.”

“I wish I could attempt to dissuade you, but I agree that we probably have no choice on that point. However, I believe last night’s events may be turned to our advantage, outside the public eye, of course.”

Remus stared at Dumbledore. He couldn’t think of a possible advantage to this. “I appreciate the sentiment, but—”

“Oh, dear, what am I thinking? You’ve had a difficult night, and I haven’t even offered you tea.” Suddenly, the headmaster’s sternness melted away. Dumbledore tut-tutted to himself and waved his wand. In a trice, Remus found his hands wrapped around a steaming mug of tea dosed with far more sugar than he could usually tolerate. But it steadied his nerves. He sipped it gratefully, feeling wretched for accepting a kindness he wasn’t sure he deserved.

“Now, to our possible courses of action,” Dumbledore continued. “Peter Pettigrew’s escape increases the chances of Voldemort’s return in the near future. While unfortunate, at least we have forewarning.”

If he hadn’t transformed and tried to attack the children at exactly the wrong moment, Wormy wouldn’t have escaped. Remus took too big a gulp of tea and scalded his throat.

“Therefore, we can make preparations. Gaining information about Voldemort’s possible allies will be of the utmost importance.”

His—oh, no. Suddenly, Remus realized what Dumbledore had in mind. “You want me to try to infiltrate Fenrir Greyback’s pack again.” Just the thought of seeing Greyback again made the tea roil in his stomach. Hagrid’s cabin suddenly seemed like a distant stage set. He couldn’t even tell whether his skin was prickling from heat or a chill.

“I am deeply sorry to ask it of you.”

“Do you really think they’d ever accept me? They didn’t before. And from their point of view, I abandoned my attempts to join them as soon as the war ended and went back to trying to live as a wizard.” He’d failed that mission miserably, in fact, and his pride wasn’t the only thing injured in the process. Greyback’s pack was neither trusting nor forgiving. Surely a second attempt would go even worse.

On the other hand, maybe that meant he could get it over with quickly and go on to… well, to nothing. But that was better than the alternative. _Greyback_.

Dumbledore, though, looked like the possibility of failure didn’t trouble him at all. “Perhaps… but we may be able to counteract that now.”

“I don’t see how.”

Dumbledore only raised an eyebrow. He wanted Remus to work it out? Now?

But then, it was his own fault he was in this state. Dumbledore was right: he ought to think ahead to the consequences instead of hoping things would miraculously work out somehow.

“Because…” Remus struggled to pull his exhausted thoughts into a coherent pattern. “Because they’ll think I’m angry that you didn’t keep me on staff, and that I want revenge?”

Dumbledore paused. “That, and… you’ll forgive me, but your enmity with Severus is well known, and he has a certain reputation of his own to uphold…”

Which meant—no. Dumbledore couldn’t possibly mean what Remus thought he meant.

“You’re going to let him reveal my secret before anyone else does. That will make it look like I blame you for protecting him and cutting me loose.”

To his horror, Dumbledore dipped his head in acknowledgement.

Remus tried to keep his voice steady. “Yes, I see how that might make my bid to join the pack more convincing. I suppose it also will increase the chances that one of his old friends will speak too freely around him and give us information about Voldemort’s plans.”

“Precisely. I’m glad you understand.” Dumbledore beamed approval.

Which only made it impossible to protest. How could he let Dumbledore down again? He should be grateful he wasn’t being thrown into Azkaban without trial. He _was_ grateful.

And unfortunately, he couldn’t fault Dumbledore’s logic. They did need that intelligence.

Remus looked at his hands. “All right. Where do I start?”


End file.
